School of Medicine Laptop Information

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The Laptop Requirement

The Laptop Requirement

All incoming UNC medical students must bring a laptop to the program. Incoming students in the Class of 2018 can select a device of their choice provided it meets some minimum requirements for online testing.

If you find that your device is not compatible,you will need to provide one that meets the minimum requirements below.

Minimum Requirements:

The operating system must be one of the following:

Windows (Vista, 7, 8)

Mac (10.7, 10.8, 10.9)

iOS devices (iPad, etc.) do not appear to be compatible at this time

The device must be able to run all of the following browsers:

Internet Explorer (PC only)

Firefox

Safari

Chrome

The device must have a physical keyboard and mouse or similar pointing device (e.g., touch pad on the keyboard). Software keyboards on a touch screen are problematic and do not function for online testing.

The device must have the ability to connect to a wired Ethernet network. Therefore it must either have a native Ethernet port or must be able to use an Ethernet port adapter. You are required to bring this adapter to all exams. To minimize technical difficulties during exams, a USB Ethernet adaptor is strongly recommended.

You are required to provide your own Ethernet cable for taking online tests. Consider keeping an extra Ethernet cord in your Berryhill locker.

Other Important Notes:

Students are required to download and install Faronics Insight, a system monitoring agent that allows the proctor to view a thumbnail of each examinee's desktop, providing visual proof that students do not consult websites or applications during an exam. The monitoring system software is installedonly on the local machines in the testing rooms, and it only works when it is launched at the time of each test. It is only used to ensure the integrity of our testing environment and is never used for any other purpose or at any other time. Students cannot take examinations without this software.

Several other pieces of software must also be installed, and this will be done during orientation week with the assistance of staff from the Office of Information Systems (OIS).

All machines connecting to the School of Medicine network will be automatically monitored by the Network Access Control (NAC) system. A NAC agent is automatically installed on your machine and monitors whether you have required network configurations, such asproper antivirus protection and the latest software security patches. Improperly configured machines are blocked from network access until corrected.

Much course material is delivered in PowerPoint format. To gain the most from your coursework, your machine should be able to display PowerPoint presentations.

Your student fees pay for a Microsoft Office site license. Prior to arriving on campus, you will be sent instructions on how to download and install the latest version of Office Professional (for Windows and Macs).

You must bring your laptop to every exam. A few loaner laptops are available, but students are not permitted to borrow a loaner or Ethernet cable more than once.

Carolina Computing Initiative

Students are free to purchase any device they want, from any source. However, we would like to make you aware of the Carolina Computing Initiative (CCI), which provides high quality laptops at competitive prices. There are several benefits to participating in the CCI Program:

CCI machines come preconfigured with a fully loaded software package that is ready to attach to the campus wired and wireless networks.

Laptops purchased through CCI come with a full 4 year warranty and insurance and arefully supported by the Office of Information Systems in the School of Medicine.

If your CCI machine ever requires hardware repair, there is a factory authorized repair facility on campus that can turn machines around in minimal time. Loaner laptops are available for checkout while the laptop is being repaired.

For more information about the available CCI machines, please see the 2014 CCI Brochure.

The deadline for CCI purchases to be available in time for orientation is July 21, 2014.

Computer Support Options

When making the decision to purchase your device, there are several items to consider when selecting the right device for you. The most significant difference between the CCI or non-CCI device is the level of support that you will receive. Below is a matrix detailing the variance in support.